1. Technical Field
The present subject matter relates to lighting apparatus. More specifically, it relates to using materials with electrically controlled transparency in a lighting apparatus to control the path of the light output.
2. Description of Related Art
Lighting apparatus come in many different forms. In some cases, the lighting apparatus may be a light fixture designed to be permanently installed into a structure. In other cases, it may be a stand-alone lamp that can be plugged into the wall. In yet other cases, the lighting apparatus may be a sub-assembly, such as a light bulb, that may be designed to be incorporated into another device. The light created by the lighting apparatus may have a brightness, a color, and an illumination pattern associated with it. Several different techniques exist for controlling these parameters in the prior art. For example some bulbs of a similar shape may have similar brightness and color, but have different areas of coverage, e.g. a flood light bulb and a spot light bulb. In another example, a stage light may have an adjustable focus to allow its coverage area to be varied from a very wide angle to an intense small spot. In another example, a desk lamp may have a flexible neck allowing the light to be manually directed to a desired spot.